Teams:

• Arizona
• Arizona State
• Baylor
• BYU
• Cincinnati
• Colorado
• Houston
• Iowa State
• Kansas
• Kansas State – At bat
• Oklahoma State – On deck
• TCU – In the hole
• Texas Tech
• UCF
• Utah
• West Virginia

Portal Team Rankings:

• On3: Big 12 14th | National 61st
• 24/7 Sports: Big 12 9th | National 45th
• The Athletic: D+

Via AI:

• Wendell Gregory (EDGE, Oklahoma State): The marquee offseason arrival, bringing high-impact pass-rushing pressure (32 pressures and 4 sacks previously) and three years of eligibility.
• Jay Harris (RB, Oregon): Expected to inject dynamic production into the Wildcats’ backfield rotation.
• Joshua Manning (WR, Missouri): A physical wide receiver addition with major playmaking upside.
• Ja’Son Prevard (S, Virginia): Highlighted as a crucial veteran presence expected to immediately anchor the secondary.
• Kamari Burns (DL, Cincinnati): Provides vital experience and depth up front on the defensive line.

Via The Athletic:

Top players added: RB Jay Harris (Oregon), WR Joshua Manning (Missouri), edge Wendell Gregory (Oklahoma State), LB Mekhi Mason (Louisiana Tech), S Ja’son Prevard (Virginia)

New coach Collin Klein has to replace 14 starters from last year’s team, including six who left via the portal and signed with other Power 4 programs. Klein did manage to retain nine starters, notably quarterback Avery Johnson, leading rusher Joe Jackson and team leader in catches Jaron Tibbs. K-State signed 14 transfers who played 200-plus snaps last season, including five starters from other FBS programs. Two areas addressed with big numbers were the offensive and defensive lines, each with six additions. Gregory, who produced 32 pressures and four sacks last season at Oklahoma State, is the headliner of the group.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly:

Just because a hire seems perfect doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to work out — hello, “Scott Frost to Nebraska” — but man, Collin Klein taking over at K-State seems perfect, doesn’t it? He led the Wildcats to their second Big 12 title as quarterback, served as offensive coordinator for the team that won their third, then went off to Coach Finishing School for two years, working with Mike Elko and helping Texas A&M reach the CFP. He was an absolute no-brainer replacement for the retiring Chris Klieman.

Klieman’s last Wildcats team began the season 17th in the AP poll and 18th in SP+, made plenty of big plays and played fun, aggressive pass defense. But the Wildcats were surprisingly inefficient running the ball, lost more third downs than they won and went just 2-5 in one-score finishes. Klein held on to quarterback Avery Johnson, who seemed to alternate between successfully deploying his athleticism and unsuccessfully trying to play like an NFL pocket passer last season. If Klein, who was basically a human third-down conversion as a dual threat in college, can rub off on Johnson a little bit, that could be a great thing.

There’s more at the link.

Team Recruiting Rankings:

• On3: Big 12 7th | National 45th
• 24/7 Sports: Big 12 9th | National 50th

Via AI:

• Josiah Vilmael (CB): Four-star prospect and the highest-ranked commit in the class (No. 281 nationally) out of Fort Bend Travis in Richmond, Texas.
• Arley Morrell (TE): Four-star in-state talent from Pratt, Kansas, who ranks among the top players within the state.
• Maxwell Lovett (WR): Four-star receiver out of Cherry Creek High School in Englewood, Colorado.
• Tucker Ashford (EDGE): Highly-regarded defensive prospect from Fort Worth Christian in Texas.
• Keegan Collins (OT): Top-tier offensive tackle prospect from West Plains High School in Amarillo, Texas.

Big 12 Power Rankings

• ESPN’s Bill Connelly: 4th in the Big 12
• CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah: 9th in the Big 12
• The Big Lead: 8th in the Big 12
• Desert News’ Brandon Judd: 8th in the Big 12

AI Projection: What is the outlook for Kansas State Wildcats football for 2026?

Kansas State enters the 2026 season with high optimism as former star quarterback and coordinator Collin Klein returns to Manhattan as head coach, leading an experienced offense anchored by senior quarterback Avery Johnson and running back Joe Jackson.

Offense & Key Strengths

Dynamic Backfield: The return of Avery Johnson and breakout running back Joe Jackson gives K-State one of the most explosive and dangerous backfield duos in the Big 12.

Favorable Narrative: Fan excitement and the “honeymoon phase” for rookie head coach Collin Klein are high, supported by an offensive system he knows deeply.

Roster Concerns & Questions

Line of Scrimmage Rebuild: The Wildcats face heavy restructuring questions, particularly on the offensive line where four new starters must be integrated around left tackle John Pastore.

Defensive Turnover: Under new defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson, the defense must replace a significant amount of production with nearly an entirely new group of primary starters, leaning on edge rusher Wendell Gregory to anchor the pass rush.

Season Projections

Analytic Outlook: ESPN’s FPI model projects a bowl-eligible baseline around 7-5, giving the Wildcats a modest dark-horse presence in a wide-open Big 12 race.

Opener: The Wildcats kick off their 2026 campaign at home against Nicholls on Saturday, September 5, at 6:00 p.m.